Kaspersky: A Major Speed Bump in Internet Performance

Recently, I encountered a significant issue with Kaspersky’s antivirus software, leading to a staggering reduction in my internet speed by nearly 60%. The moment I disabled the program, my connection promptly returned to normal. This situation has become a serious obstacle for me, especially since I often need my full bandwidth for downloading large files, a task that is crucially aligned with the need for robust antivirus protection.

Prior to using Kaspersky, I had been a satisfied user of BitDefender for five years without any speed-related issues. My internet connection remained stable, even during large downloads. Out of curiosity, I tested several other antivirus solutions, including McAfee, Norton, and Avira. None of these programs caused a decrease in internet speed, which reinforces my belief that the problem lies solely with Kaspersky.

To diagnose the issue, I methodically turned off Kaspersky’s protection features one by one, hoping to identify the culprit behind the slowdowns. Unfortunately, I did not observe any substantial change in speed, even when disabling all functionalities. In contrast, BitDefender boasts similar features and never impacted my internet speed in such a negative way.

I reached out to Kaspersky’s technical support team in an attempt to resolve the problem, but my experience was disappointing. They were unable to provide a solution and ultimately refused a refund, leaving me stuck with an antivirus program that is not only underperforming but also frustrating to use.

While I am not aiming to promote any specific software, my past experience with BitDefender was overwhelmingly positive, and it’s disappointing that I strayed from a reliable option based on a whim.

For anyone considering Kaspersky, my advice would be to think twice. If anyone has recommendations for effective antivirus solutions that won’t hinder internet performance, I would greatly appreciate the suggestions.

A Personal Note

Lastly, for those who might assert that a 400 Mbps connection is sufficient, it’s important to emphasize that I’m paying a substantial amount for this speed. Having it throttled by an antivirus program is simply unacceptable, especially when this issue persists across various downloads—not just on specific websites.

For reference, I’ve included some screenshots of my internet speed tests to illustrate the problem: